Growing grapes in the garden – plus a wine-making recipe

Have you ever wished to grow a grapevine? Grapes are still considered a luxury, which makes growing them in your own garden really worthwhile. Space can usually be found for a vine in a small garden.

Grapes are hardy plants that can be grown outside in southern England and Wales - in England south of King’s Lynn in Norfolk. For cultivating outdoors, it is generally best to purchase varieties that in most years perform well, even without glass protection. Try to find a south-facing spot for the vine – if possible against a sunny wall.

Outdoor varieties

Meuller-Thurgau is a mid-season - mid October ripening - grape, suitable for dessert, or wine-making. This vigorous vine bears light green, small to medium berries and regularly produces a good crop of sweet grapes.

Siegerrebe is an early fruiting, August/September ripening variety.. The medium-sized berries of a green and tawny gold colour are mainly used for wine-making. Ideal for outdoor cultivation – although not one to choose if you garden on an alkaline soil.

Indoor varieties

Black Hamburgh continues to be one of the best-known varieties, due to its Hampton Court associations (see my article on Hampton Court in the Gonegardening Library). Medium to large, blue-black berries form when the vines are correctly grown. Recommended for warm greenhouse cultivation, although vines will sometimes also flourish in a cool house and, in very sunny sheltered sites, out of doors.

Those who like amber grapes and white wine might prefer Muscat of Alexandria. Glass protection and warmth (10 –13C) are advisable for this beauty. The variety Thompson’s Seedless produces green dessert grapes and can be grown successfully in a cold greenhouse.

Ornamental varieties

Vines with decorative leaves that become richly coloured in autumn may be chosen for containers or for the open garden. The foliage forms splendid contrasts of purples and reds on vines covering fences and walls. The foliage of Vitis vinifera ‘Purpurea’ turn from red to purple, while the leaves of V. Brandt are a more orange-pink, and the grapes purple and sweet.

Planting

From now (October) until March is the recommended time for planting grapevines.

Arrange the main stem 6 inches from a wall in a previously dug 6ins deep hole, refill the space with soil and tread gently to firm into place. Cover the soil surface around the vine with compost, to help protect the roots from frost.

Indoor vines can be planted in the soil on the outside of a greenhouse and the trunk trained inside, via a hole in the wall. This method of cultivation is often chosen for vines that are grown in greenhouses with concrete floors. It is necessary to provide good ventilation for grapes kept under glass.. Increase the ventilation as fruits ripen, in order to reduce humidity.

Troubles can be avoided

A common pest of grapes under glass is spider mite. Grey mould & powdery mildew can be a problem. But, fortunately, they do not always occur on vines in gardens. Good cultivation helps to keep diseases at bay and most greenhouse pests can be dealt with by introducing biological control methods. See my article on Pests and Diseases coming soon…

Grapes in containers

A vine will grow in a pot and produce grapes regularly every year. Vines in containers may be trained in several ways, but look especially attractive when raised as standards. Some specialists advise replacing vines in pots every three years. This is directed at growers with long lines of medium-sized pots in glasshouses. Otherwise, vines are naturally long-lived, renewing themselves by regenerating new shoots from old wood.

Grapevines can be kept in giant pots for decades. The gnarled old tree trunks eventually become a focal point of interest in a garden. After a few years it may become necessary to re-pot into a larger container – Whichford Pottery sell classic handmade, English orange, lemon and mulberry pots of generous sizes, but most large containers can be adapted for vines.

To maintain a healthy plant, top-dress every spring – i.e. remove 1-2 ins of compost and replace with fresh garden compost. Choose soil-based compost (John Innes Compost No.3) and add extra grit for easy drainage. Regular watering and feeding during the growing season will be required.

Container grown one-year old plants, in 3 litre pots, are available for February delivery from this website. Go to Shopping. Click on Plants, then on Grapes & Vines

• "Grape phoenix" The large green grapes with a Muscat aroma turn yellow as they ripen in October.
• "Grape regent" produces sweet red/black fruit and as a bonus has ornamental foliage - the leaves turn red in autumn.
  

Sherry

Here is a recipe for making a sherry wine. One year this sherry was so successful, that it was served to all the guests at a Christmas party.* But although the recipe works well, here is a word of caution: Please note that you make the wine at your own risk. Remember good hygiene, and use clean bottles, jars and water, as it is essential to avoid introducing the wrong type of substances into the brew. Take extreme care not to burn yourself with the boiling water. Children will reach up for panhandles, if they are not watched. And you might also like to keep pets out of the way during the preparation.

Ingredients:

2lb demerara sugar

1lb raisons

1lb grapes

Half oz yeast

3 large potatoes (grated)

4 pints boiling water

Method:

Melt the sugar in part of the water and, when cool, add the other ingredients. Stir for three weeks. Then bottle.

*The party sherry was made in August one year and drunk at Christmas time that same year - the guests are still alive!